SACP condemns latest Israeli genocidal acts in Rafah, Gaza

13 February 2024

The South African Communist Party (SACP) condemns in the strongest terms possible the latest genocidal act committed by the colonial and apartheid Israeli state in the Palestinian Rafah City in southern Gaza. Israel on Monday launched a new round of attacks focusing on Rafah in the Gaza strip, killing at least 67 Palestinians.

Today a home to almost half of Gaza’s 2.3 million citizens who fled there, in addition to the 280,000 people who already lived there, the city of Rafah is regarded as the last standing refugee camp from which the Palestinian people have nowhere to run amidst heavy bombardment by Israel. Israel authorities have continued to push for more military attacks on Palestinians in Rafah.

The settler state’s killing machine continues to wipe out more Palestinian lives a mere 17 days since the order by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) against Israel to take all possible measures to prevent the crime of genocide against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip. Israel has killed over 28,340 Palestinians in Gaza since it launched its genocidal offensive on 7 October 2023, of which at least 75 per cent are children (12,300), women (8,400) and elderly people. The death toll includes 152 United Nations Relief and Works Agency staff killed by the Israeli occupation army and 26 injured. Over 67,984 Palestinians were wounded. More than 7,000 Palestinians are still buried under the rubble of destroyed homes, including over 5,000 children.

The SACP reiterates its message of solidarity with the Palestinian people and condemns Israel’s disregard of the ICJ order and basic human rights. It is clear that the colonial Israeli regime is unprepared to heed the dictates of international law, and does so with the express support of its imperialist benefactor, the United States. The SACP further reiterates its support for the Palestinian people’s right to resist occupation of their land by the colonial regime of Israel. The SACP also calls for deepened unity among justice loving people across the world, including cooperation of the people as well as governments and international bodies to isolate apartheid Israel economically, politically, culturally and otherwise.

Issued by Alex Mohubetswane Mashilo, Central Committee Member, 13 February 2024